Apparatus for the manufacture of illuminating-gas.



771.1 Patented Feb. 4, I902. n. DEMPSTER.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS.

(A zl wlicatioiz filed Sept. 16, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Sheet L (No Model.)

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Patented Feb. 4, I962.

4 Sheets$heet 2. 4

R. DEMPSTEB. APPARATUS FDRTHE MANUFACTURE OF lLLUMlNAT-ING GAS.

(Application filed. Sept. 16. 1901.

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No. 692,77I. A Patented Feb. 4, I902, v

' 'R,-DEMPSTER. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUM'INATING HAS.

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I No. 692,77l. Patented Feb. 4,1902.

R. DEMPSTER. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ILLUMINATING GAS.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

m: ncnms PETER; so PHOTO-LITHQ. wnsnmm'ou. n. c.

llllilll T0 at whom it may concern:

7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT DEMEsrE or MABIETTA,QHIO,VASSIGNOR oMA Y DEMPSTER, HENRY I-I-I.BURNS, AND NORMAN MORRQW, OF-MARIETTA, OHIO.

APPARATUS Fo TH E MANUFAGTU RE "0F lLLUMlNATlNG-GAS.

srnolrrcafron forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,771, dated February4,1902.

Application filed September 16, 1901, Serial No. 75.530; (No model.)

Be it known that' I, ROBERT DEMPSTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marietta, in the county of Washington and State of Ohio,have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Vaporizing Liquids, ofwhich the following is a specificatio My invention relates to certainimprovements in apparatus forthe formation of vapor from liquids, andwhile applicable for use as a steam-boiler is particularly intended foruse for the formation of gas from liquid hydrocarbons of any character.

The principal object of my invention is to construct a retort-vaporizerof portable nature, which may be employed for themanufacture of a fixedgas of high illuminating power and which, owing to its low cost, may beused for heating purposes or for the running of explosive-engines.

A further object-of the invention is to so construct the device as tofacilitate any necessary cleaning when t'ar or other deposits are to beremoved and to render the devicev portable by'constructing it of anumber of sections which may be readily assembled or disassembled.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide inconnection withvthe vaporizer a feeding device which will act to force a pre-'determined quantity of hydrocarbon into the retort. Y

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in thenovelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more particularlydescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a-perspective View of avaporizing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.- Fig.2 is a sectional elevation of the oil-feeding device employed inconnection therewith,the discharge-pipe of the oil-feeder being 1 shownas connected, by dotted lines, to the feed-pipe of the vaporizer shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation of the vaporizingapparatus on the line 3 3, Fig. 4:. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectionalelevation of the same on the lines 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectionalplan view through the superheater at the upper portion of the device'onthe line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe various figures of the drawings.

1O designates a cast-iron. retort of rectangular form in cross-sectionand provided at each of the ends with upwardly-extending gas-outlets 11,through which the gas passes to an upper superheatihg-chamber 12. Thenumber of retorts 10 employed depends entirely on the capacity of; theapparatus. In the present instance I have shown five retorts extendingparallel with each other, a space being left between each of the retortsfor the passage of the products of combustion arising from a mass offuel to be supported by a lower grate 13. The ends of the retort areprovided with removable covers 14,having inner flanges A 15, actingpartly as guides and partly to hold the covers in position. The coversare firmly clamped in place by longitudinal bolts 16, ex-

tending entirely through the retort and having nuts l7 at one or bothends to bind the doors firmly in place. The covers or doors may beprovided with packing at their edges or may be luted in the usualmanner. On the inner side of each cover 14 is an annular rib 18, forminga socket for the reception of the end of apipe 19, said pipe being ofsuch lengthas to be'firmly clamped when the bolts .16 are tightened. Thepipe 19 is provided on its upper side with a series of perfora- A tions20, extending throughout the entire length of said pipe. An oil-supplypipe 21 is arranged at the front of the vaporizer, and to said pipe isconnected a series of smaller pipes 22, each being tapped into a recessor opening in a retort-cover immediately in line with the pipe l9, theoil being fed through said pipe 22 into the pipe 19. is provided with aseparategoverning-valve 23, by which the flow of oil may beadjusted, orin case of the clogging of thepipe 19 from an accumulation of theheavier hydrocarbons the supply-valve leading to said-pipe may be closedtemporarily without interfering with the manufacture of gas in the re-'maining retorts. At the rear cover of each retort is a valved pipe 24 inalinement with the pipe 19 and permitting the withdrawal Each pipe 22 ofthe greater quantity of tar and other accumulations as may from time totime become necessary.

The superheater 12 acts as a crown-sheet for the furnace and at each ofits ends is provided with downwardly-projecting neck portions 25,adapted to enter the vertical passages 11, extending from the variousretorts and forming continuous gas-passages to permit the escape of gasfrom both ends of the retorts to the superheater. The opposite sides ofthe superheater are provided with a series of vertical passages 27,forming outlets for the products of combustion, the burninggases arisingfrom the mass of fuel passing between and around all of the retorts andafter striking the lower face of the superheater passing through theside passages 27 and finally escaping through an outlet-flue 2'7.

The retorts are firmly secured at each end to the vaporizer by U-shapedbolts 28, the lower central portions of which pass under cross-bars 29in the vertical passages of the retort, the upper portions of said boltsextending through the top of the superheater and being provided withsuitable nuts 30.

The arrangement of the fines or passages 27 divides the sides of thesuperheater into a series of rectangular chambers 31, the outer ends ofwhich are closed by removable coverplates 32, held in position by bolts33, extending transversely through the superheater and passing throughcover-plates 32 at opposite sides of said superheater. The removal ofthese doors permits of the cleaning of the superheater whenaccumulations of carbonaceous matter are to be removed.

From the top of the superheater extends a gas-outlet pipe 34:, which maybe connected to a suitable gasometer or, if desired, to a purifier.

The various retorts and the superheater being bolted together form arigid structure which is held in position within the furnacecasing,constructed of a number of independent sections which may be readilytaken apart when the apparatus is to be shipped and which are of suchcharacter as to dispense with the employment of the usual fire-brick.The casing is made of four main sections comprising end walls 36 and 37and side walls 38 and 39, shaped to conform to the general outline ofthe furnace and each end wall having an ashpit door 40, the feed-door41, and a door 42, which may be opened to gain access to the ends of theretort. This latter door is preferably made in sections, owing to thearrangement of the pipes 22 and 24. Each section of the casing isprovided with a large number of openings -14, countersunk on the innerside to prevent ashes lodging in the hole, and over all of the casingextends a sheet-iron casing top of the casing 52 is a cross-bar orcoverplate 55, to the central portion of which is secured a piston-rod56, having at its lower ends a two-part piston 57, provided with apneumatic packing-ring 58, which fits snugly against the interiorsurface of the casing 50. The casing 50 is filled with oil, which isforced under pressure through a valved pipe 50, forcing the pistonupwardly until the chamber is filled with the desired quantity of oil.The oil is maintained under pressure by means of the spring 54, ifnecessary, by the addition of a weight 60, (Shown by dotted lines inFig. 2.) In some cases I prefer to employ the weight only and toentirely dispense with the spring, and owing to the fact that where aweight is used the pressure on the oil is at all times equal, while inthe use of a spring the pressure would necessarily lessen as thequantity of oil in the chamber decreased. The oil is discharged from thelower portion of the chamber 50 through the pipe 21, a valve 61 beingprovided to govern the outflow, and in said pipe is also placed a reducing-nozzle 62, which will permit the passage of but a small quantityof oil and permit of a regular supply in small quantities to thevaporizing apparatus.

In the operation of the device, the valves 61 and 23 being opened, oilis forced from the chamber 50 through pipe 21 and each of the pipes 22to the perforated pipe 19 in the interior of the retort 10. Fuel havingbeen applied to the grate-bars 15 and the retorts heated to a greater orless degree, generally to a cherry-red, the radiated heat will vaporizethe oil. contained within the pipes 19, forming a heavy vapor containingall of the lighter hydrocarbons and some of the heavy hydrocarbons, saidvapor passing out into the retort and there subjected to intense heat.Under the influence of the heat in the retort the gas will deposit aportion of the heavy hydrocarbons, and on passing into the SUPBI heatera further proportion of the carbonaceous matter will be deposited andthe proportion of permanent gases will be increased, and their levityalso, in proportion to the heat. The quantity of {gas formed dependsaltogether on the heat to which the hydrocarbon is subjected-the lowerthe heat the less the quantity of carbon deposited, and therefore thegreater will be the quantity of carbon which combines with the hydrogen,and the greater the heat the greater the quantity of carbon deposited,the gas becoming poorer in illuminating qualities, but of a characterespecially adapted for the operation of explosive-engines where thedeposit of carbonaceous matter in the cylinder of the enginedetrimental.

The device is of such character that it may be readily taken apart forcleaning, and the arrangement of the primary vaporizing-tube of myinvention.

, able doors arrangedat the ends of said re- Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is 1. A gas-generator comprising in combination,a retort exposed to the action of heat and having removable end doors, aprimary vaporizing-tube arranged centrally Within the retort andprotected bysaid retort from the direct action of fiame or'the productsof combustion, said tube having top perforations and being supported atits opposite ends by.

the removable doors, and a'feed-pipe connect: ed to one of said doors inalinement with said tube, substantially as specified.

2. The combination in a gas-generator, of a retort exposed to theactionof heat, removtort and having tube-receiving sockets, a tubearranged centrally within the retort and having its opposite endssupported in said socket-s, an oil-feed pipe connected to one of saiddoors in alinement with the said tube, and a residuum-discharge pipeconnected to the opposite feed-door in alinement with said tube.

3. In adevice of the class specified, the combination of a series ofspaced retorts each having a perforated primary vaporizingchamber, asuperheater to which all of said retorts are connected, fiues orpassages for the products of combustion arranged at the sides of saidsuperheater, and-a combustionchamber in which the retorts andsuperheater are arranged.

4. In a device of the class specified, a combustion -chamber havingsuitable side and end walls, and a fuel-grate, a series of retortssituated within said combustion-chamber and spaced for the passage ofthe products of comvbnstioma superheater forming the crownsheet for thecombustion-chamber and communicating with all of the retorts, therebepassages for the products of combustion.

5. In a deviceof the class specified,rthe combination with acombustion-chamber, of

ing in the sides of said superheater fiues or a series of retorts, asuperheater communi eating with said retorts, there being in theopposite side of said, superheater a series of fines or passages for theproducts of combustion, the intervening portions of the superheaterbetween said flues or passages forming chambers having removable endcovers or doors.

6. In adevice of the class specified, the

combination with a combustion-chamber, of a series, of retorts, asuperheater forming a crown-sheet for the combustion-chamber, a

series of side passages arranged in the superheater, removable doors orcovers closing said passages, and securing-bolts extending trans-.versely of the superheater and through said covers or doors on oppositesides of the same.

7. In a device of the class specified, the combination with a retort, ofa sectional casing comprising a series of perforated sheets, theperforations of each sheet being countersunk from the inner side, and asheet-metal outer casing surronnding'the perforated casing and separatedtherefrom by an air-space. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.ROB'I. DE'MPSTER.

Witnesses: I G. ,W. STRE'OKER',

W. S. HANCOCK.

